Other People

by Neil Gaiman

"Time is fluid here," said the demon.

Neil Gaiman reading the 'Other People' short story as part of his October 3, 2006 talk at Keplers for the 'Fragile Things' book tour.

Genres: Short Stories, Fantasy, Horror, Fiction, Science Fiction, Demons, Philosophy

Unbound

First published October 1, 2001

Reviews

[Lori]

The story is familiar. Well told, but familiar.

http://holdinghandswithhades.edublogs...

[Alex ☣ Deranged KittyCat ☣]

“Time is fluid here,” said the demon. He knew it was a demon the moment he saw it. He knew it, just as he knew the place was Hell. There was nothing else that either of them could have been.

As I continue my May Short Story Month Marathon with Sandra, I stumble upon this precious, little gem. And let me just say from the start... if you liked The Egg by Andy Weir, you'll like Neil Gaiman's Other People, too.

As you can tell from the quote, a man enters hell and meets his tormentor who assures him that the physical torture punishment is the mildest of what's in store for him.

And I can't wait for somebody else to read this, so I can have someone to talk to about that ending. At first I thought it meant one thing (absolution), but now I think its meaning is something entirely different (a loophole... endless torture... which leaves the question what happens to the one who opens his heart?).

You can read Other People here.

[Calista]

This little story by Neil is set in Hell and it's the usual torture and such going on. But, there are many twists. Hell is rather lonely, not a party. Being tortured physically is preferred to being tortured by remember your sinful acts in life.

This is a fascinating idea. So often, we can be stuck in our own little hells that we create for ourselves. Our little minds torture us and tell us how bad we are and all the things we did wrong and all the ways we fell short. If hell is being separated from God, then this is what we do to ourselves with our guilt and shame and being perfectionist and not forgiving ourselves. We create hell for ourselves. It's a powerful little story when seen from that light.

I appreciate the idea, but I get tired of the theme of hell. I don't know that Neil was saying what I'm thinking, but I took that from his story. Anyway, it was interesting and made me think.

This is in the collection Fragile Things.

[Trish]

This is a short story included in the collection Fragile Things. After a friend pointed it out to me, I got too curious and had to read it in advance.

It's the story of a man landing in hell and paying for what he's done. It's about coming full circle (I really can't say more without giving the game away) and as usual, Gaiman delivers a punch right at the end.

I've seen more impactful short stories by Gaiman but this was very poignant nonetheless and cleverly as well as beautifully written.

[Leah Craig]

A terrifying short story with a very powerful message. I read it in 5 minutes, but I've been thinking about it all day.

[Vivian]

Hmmm... too short to say anything without giving it away. Irony and introspection always appeal to me.

[droogie]

You'll know when you read it. Very similar to The Egg by Andy Weir.

Time is fluid here.

Read it here: “Other People” by Neil Gaiman

[~:The N:~]

"It was like peeling an onion. This time through his life he learned about consequences. He learnt the results of things he had done; things he had been blind to as he did them; the ways he had hurt the world; the damage he had done to people he had never known, or met, or encountered. It was the hardest lesson yet."

[Harsh Kumar]

I have come to the point now where I think Neil Gaiman is one of the best. One of the Greatest. Better than many others combined.

I never listened to Audiobooks hitherto. I thought they might not be that interesting and I have listened to two audiobooks by Neil Gaiman now. I have changed my mind after listening to the two.

Especially this.
The story is too short but will bring a chill down one's spine. The narration was darn good and so was the story including a man, a demon and hell.

[Ɛɾιɳ ẞҽҽ]

Everything he had ever done that had been better left undone. Every lie had told – told to himself, or told to others. Every little hurt, and all the great hurts. Each one was pulled out of him, detail by detail, inch by inch. The demon stripped away the cover of forgetfulness, stripped everything down to truth, and it hurt more than anything.

http://holdinghandswithhades.edublogs...

[Ash]

“In time you will remember even this moment with fondness.”

[Bio Logic]

The demon stripped away the cover of forgetfulness, stripped everything down to truth, and it hurt more than anything.

Truth hurts more than anything - the lies we tell ourselves and others, the lies that we come to believe, and the lies that other people make us believe - they create such an impenetrable cloak around us that it might very well take thousands of years to unveil reality. As we go through the process we become scarred, wounded - but at the same time infinitely tolerant and wise.

"its eyes were a demon’s eyes: they had seen too much"

I loved the whole atmosphere of this story. Though the twist was predictable, the way the author presented it was no easy deal.

Jake Glazier have done a beautiful voice-acting on this story. You should check it out on his YouTube channel.

This story is freely available online. Here's the link - Other People

[Dennis]

I'm not exactly the biggest fan of Neil Gaiman. But this 2001 short story is actually one that I liked.

3.5 stars

You can read it here.

[Rakesh M]

Neil Gaiman is a true genius of our generation. In this short read, he is retelling a classic theme and also he is giving a fitting tribute to Sartre's No Exit.

[Dhia Nouioui]

I tried to like it but I couldn't. It didn't make any sense to me.

[The Bibliophile Doctor]

You can read this story for free here https://holdinghandswithhades.edublog...

[sebastian]

Neil Gaiman's narration of this is incredible stunning and almost like a outside of the body experience. It's like he has ripped out my soul or something. I'm still recovering from it (and I don't know if I ever will).

The narration I'm talking about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqC08...

[Pufcim]

"Time is fluid here" said the Demon.

[Julia]

This is an amazing short story, it is powerful and cruel. The message is a bit terrifying.
Re-reading it makes the experience ever richer

[Jamie B]

What a strange little story this was. Really loved it.

[Mazzy]

Powerful for a 5-minute read. I'm kind of surprised how Christian this story is.

[Anaswar Vinod]

Neil Gaiman's "Other People" is a gripping exploration of the human psyche amidst an otherworldly backdrop. Set in a haunting afterlife where the protagonist endures relentless torment by a demon, the story immerses readers through a journey of guilt, redemption, and the enduring capacity for empathy.
While "Other People" captivates with its rich thematic depth and compelling characters, it occasionally falls short of reaching its full potential. It might feel too short for some readers.
Nevertheless, this short story remains a captivating and thought-provoking read, showcasing Neil Gaiman's prowess as a storyteller and his ability to craft tales that linger in the mind long after the final page is turned.

[Kaya Reads]

Holy crap.
That's all I can say.

[Annie]

Ich vermisse solche Stories von Neil in letzter Zeit sehr. Bitte viel mehr davon!

[SpookySoto]

Rating: I liked it a lot

This a short story included in Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders, about a man and his experience in hell.

When he arrives the demon says to him: “time is fluid here”
Then he proceeds to physically torture him, after hundreds of years the demon makes him remember and confess all his sins, the demon took apart his life, it lasted hundreds of years. This was worst than the physical torture.

Then it ended, and once it ended, it began again, but now with the self knowledge he didn’t had before, which made it even worse. He hated himself, he prayed that the demon started physically torturing him instead. He learned the consequences of his actions, it was the hardest lesson yet.

At the end

“ “Again,” said the demon, a thousand years later.

He crouched on the floor, beside the brazier, rocking gently, his eyes closed, and he told the story of his life, re-experiencing it as he told it, from birth to death, changing nothing, leaving nothing out, facing everything. He opened his heart.

When he was done, he sat there, eyes closed, waiting for the voice to say, “Again,” but nothing was said. He opened his eyes.

Slowly, he stood up. He was alone.

At the far end of the room, there was a door, and as he watched, it opened.

A man stepped through the door. There was terror in the man’s face, and arrogance, and pride. The man, who wore expensive clothes, took several hesitant steps into the room, and then stopped.

When he saw the man, he understood.

“Time is fluid here,” he told the new arrival.”

So now he is the demon.
Update
re-reading the spoiler (because I’d already forgotten what was this about 🤦🏼‍♀️) I think he was the demon all the time, trapped in a loop, don’t know how I missed that.

[Tanu]

reminder to be nice to yourself because the world is already a cruel place!

[Christopher Mitchell]

The advice that can be absorbed from a story like this is boundless. A short story like this could potentially have the power to change someone's life, and that likely seems like the reason why Gaiman would write a story like this. I'm still digesting the contents of the story, but I don't imagine I'll ever forget this one, or at least the powerful aura and emotion of it.

[Shanice Williams]

Had to read this in one of my lectures. A great short little turn around story that had my attention from the get go.

[Violetta]

A potent warning. For most it isn't too late to take heed...

[Mai]

“Time is fluid here,” said the demon.